31 Painted Precious Moments (Altered Moments Trend)
by: Chica
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Precious Moments collectible figurines have been beloved by many for years, but a new trend has artists and crafters altering them, giving them a whole new look.
With painted clothes, new faces, and new props, these dolls are transformed into something totally new. This altered precious moments trend is surging, most often tagged as #notsopreciousmoments or #alteredmoments, and we are here for it.
How this trend started
The first Precious Moments alterations we could find came from the hands of The Precious Mutator (Keith Busher), who wanted to repurpose some thrift store finds into craft projects with his kids in the early 2010s. His creations can get quite creepy and dark, but that's part of his artistic style that makes his pieces truly unique.
We've seen a few casual Precious Moments modifiers around since then, but the art form gained new life recently when Molly at @goodgollygal had a similar epiphany — she spotted two dolls on a thrift store shelf and saw the potential to turn them into a spooky-cute Halloween scene.
When we saw the #notsopreciousmoments trend growing on TikTok, we were so smitten that we couldn't help but participating ourselves with Halloween and Thanksgiving altered figurines.
We've got many more altered Precious Moments ideas up our sleeves, so keep en eye on our Precious Moments Playlist on TikTok and be sure to follow @chicaandjo so you don't miss any new ones.
We've also started a new "Altered Moments" Facebook Group where we have built a community of artists who share their inspiration, ideas, and finished works.
Tips for altering Precious Moments
You can alter your figurines with the most basic craft supplies, and we've curated a collection in our Altered Moments Amazon Storefront.
We also have a whole series of videos available in our Altered Moments Playlist on YouTube, including a great "Getting Started" video and several in-depth tutorials showing tools and techniques.
VIDEO: How to Get Started with Altered MomentsWhere to buy Precious Moments cheap
While there are still plenty of Precious Moments figurines that are still of great value (both monetary and emotional), the market is pretty flooded with common pieces that you can find for as under $10.
Here are 6 sources for Precious Moments
- Scour your local thrift stores and you might get lucky. Let the clerks know what you're looking for, and they might be willing to give you a call if they get a box full of donations.
- Our "Altered Moments Market" Facebook Group has several former collectors who are currently offering their unwanted pieces at very reasonable prices. Join and browse what's available.
- Facebook Marketplace is a great way to find people looking to sell collections they inherited or just don't want anymore. If the stars align, you might even find someone willing to sell them in bulk just so they don't have to list them individually.
- eBay is a great source for inexpensive figurines, especially if you're looking for a particular one.
- Ask friends and family if they have pieces they're willing to part with. Just be sure to be up front about your intentions so you don't upset them when they see the results!
- Estate sales are a great place to find large collections, usually at a great price.
More about painted Precious Moments
If you have more questions about our painted Precious Moments, check our our Altered Moments FAQ or join the growing community in our "Altered Moments" Facebook Group.
Chica's altered Precious Moments creations
I am obsessed with altering Precious Moments, and Jo and I love coming up with new ideas! Here are the figurines I have altered so far:
1 Monica's Thanksgiving turkey head from Friends
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This is my favorite Precious Moments alteration yet. I started with "You Have Touched So Many Hearts", painted her clothes, added plenty of Friends mementos on the bottom, and then covered her face with a giant turkey. Watch our short TikTok video or our longer YouTube video to see how I did it.
2 Ralphie from A Christmas Story
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My recreation of Ralphie in his iconic pink bunny suit was a challenge, but the "Help Lord, I'm in a Spot" figurine was the perfect starting point. I made the PJs out of clay and created the accessories with my 3D printer. Watch our TikTok video to see more.
3 Halloween witch and jack-o-lantern
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Inspired by Halloween, I dressed the girl in "A Mother's Love is a Warm Glow" as a witch, complete with pointy hat, then covered the candle with a grinning pumpkin. Watch our TikTok video to see how I did it.
4 Grinch and Max with Who Feast
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I wanted to create a Grinch-themed piece for Christmas, and the "Wishing You a Ho Ho Ho" figurine with a boy in a Santa suit and a dog was the perfect starting point. I added a Grinch-y face and tons of accessories to bring the Who feast to life. Watch our TikTok video to see how I did it.
5 Willy Wonka
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Inspired by the new Wonka movie, I outfitted the "God Bless America" figurine with Wonka's signature purple hat and brown coat, and surrounded him with Wonka Bars and an edible candy garden. Watch our short TikTok video or our longer YouTube video to see how I did it.
6 Indiana Jones
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As longtime fans of 80s action movies, it was an easy decision for us to immortalize Indiana Jones in some way, and the positioning of the "A Mother's Love is a Warm Glow" figurine was perfectly suited for the classic idol swap scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Watch our TikTok video to see how it all came together.
7 Bachelorette party
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When we saw the hugging girls in "That's What Friends Are For", we couldn't help but see it as a maid of honor holding back the bride's hair after a raucous bachelorette party. Projectile vomit and red Solo cups and the stage was set! Watch our TikTok video to see the evening unfold.
8 Girl on toilet
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The squatted position of Where Would I Be Without You" instantly made us think of a toilet and we just couldn't help transforming the stool into a porcelain throne. Watch our TikTok video to see how it came together.
9 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
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How could we resist creating an homage to one of our favorite couples, Taylor and Travis? We used two different figurines to create this piece: "Easter's On Its Way" gave us Travis and the base, and Taylor came from "Be You and the Rest is Cool". Watch our TikTok video to see the drastic changes.
10 Lucky Charms
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The rainbow and pot of gold in "Dreams Really Do Come True" was all the inspiration we needed to create a PM version of the Lucky Charms leprechaun, and honor one of our favorite cereals. Watch our TikTok video to see the transformation.
11 Mr. T
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The weightlifting boy in "Believe the Impossible" was the perfect start to honor our favorite body building icon from the 80s — Mr. T. Watch our TikTok video to see how we created his iconic look.
12Jeff Probst from Survivor
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It was an easy decision to immortalize Jeff Probst from our favorite TV show, Survivor. Removing the dog in the original "Praise the Lord Anyhow" piece left the perfect spot for a Tribal Council fire and all the iconic accessories that are part of the show. Watch our TikTok video to see this figure transform into the host we all know and love.
13Sophia Petrillo from Golden Girls
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The purse on the original "Loving, Caring, and Sharing Along the Way" piece inspired me instantly to create a Sophia Petrillo, complete with beaded purse and directional signs pointing the way to her most iconic cities. Watch our TikTok video to see how I added the beads and made the glasses for this saucy little lady.
14Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes
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The sign in the original "I Will Love You All Ways" made a perfect canvas for a giant Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes check for Ed McMahon to hold. When we added our curler-covered winner (made from "Mommy I Love You") and a handmade Prize Patrol van, the scene was set. Watch our TikTok video to see all the tiny details get created and added.
15Smokey and the Bandit
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When we saw the original "Wishing You Roads of Happiness" figuring, we considered famous newlyweds before realizing that the runaway bride scene from "Smokey and the Bandit" would be even better! Our little Burt Reynolds is all decked out in his finest, with Frog by his side, and they're east bound and down in his Pontiac Firebird TransAm (complete with Firebird hood decal). Watch our TikTok video to see the transformation on this iconic couple.
16Kamala Harris
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When we saw the pose of the original "Sharing is Universal" piece, we knew right away who she was destined to become. Watch our TikTok video to see how the hair and accessories came together.
17Spooky Halloween Wreath
When I received a box full of broken Precious Moments figurines in the mail, I had to stretch my creativity to come up with a way to still use the parts. The result was a horror-inspired wreath perfect for Halloween decor. Watch our TikTok video to see how it all came together.
Jo's altered Precious Moments creations
Jo recently joined in on this hobby and started creating pieces too! She's just as obsessed, and plans to create more in the near future.
18 The Fast Lady Portrait from Harry Potter
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This girl holding a frame in "You're as Pretty as a Picture" made an instant connection in Jo's imagination and she turned in into The Fat Lady Portrait from the Harry Potter book series. Watch our TikTok video to watch her create all those tiny little accessories.
19 Costco Sample Lady
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The toaster featured in the "A Special Toast to Precious Moments" piece was all the inspiration it took for Jo to pay tribute to our favorite ladies of retail, the in-store sample lady from Costco. Watch our TikTok video to see all the details come together.
Altered Precious Moments from other artists
We aren't the only ones changing these charming figurines into something new! There are more #notsopreciousmoments and #alteredmoments hitting the internet every day, and here are some of our favorites so far.
20 Witch and girl in cauldron
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This is the first piece created by @GoodGollyGal. She transformed "You are the End of My Rainbow" into a girl in a bubbling cauldron, and "Yield Not Into Temptation" into a witch bearing a poison apple. Watch the short TikTok video or longer YouTube video to see how she did it.
21 Girl with string of skulls
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@GoodGollyGal struck gold again when she turned "You Have Touched So Many Hearts" into something spooky-cute by changing the hearts to skulls and adding a huge pile of skulls and bones at her feet. Watch her TikTok video to see how she did it.
22 Grinch with his To-Do List
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@GoodGollyGal embraced the Christmas spirit with her rendition of The Grinch with his trusty dog Max. She started with "God Understands" and covered the whole thing with fantastic green fur. Watch her TikTok video to see more, including that cute little Grinch bum and tiny to-do list!
23 Thanksgiving Turkey and Grim Reaper
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We love the humorous take @GoodGollyGal had on this Thanksgiving piece. She started with "Thank You Lord for Everything" and turned the boy into and adorably dark Grim Reaper. At least the turkey gets a good last meal before Thanksgiving! Watch her TikTok video to see more.
24 Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation
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@GoodGollyGal pulled out all the stops (and the hose?) when she transformed "A Prince of a Guy" into Cousin Eddie from the iconic camper dump scene in Christmas Vacation. Watch her TikTok video to see the incredible details come together.
25 Group of Halloween characters
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@colprokop288 took an assortment of figurines and created a whole crew of Halloween ghouls and goblins. Our favorite is the way they transformed the anniversary plate into a pumpkin! Watch the TikTok video to see the whole collection.
26 Custom Chicano boy
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When @limonkendra realized that typical Precious Moments didn't look like her people, she took things into her own hands and customized a first communion figurine into something more firting for her culture. Watch the TikTok video to see how she did it.
27 Girl with Ouija board
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DeviousFX cleared the desk on "My Happiness" and added a Ouija board instead, then dressed the girl in goth attire. Watch her TikTok video for a closer look.
28 Cthulu with baby stroller
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Katie Cahill modified the "Baby's First Trip" figurine and completely transformed it into a Chthulu with twin babies! Watch the TikTok video to see how she did it.
29 Goth seamstress girl
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Michelle took her "Mother Sew Dear" to the dark side with goth makeup, dark clothes, and a fun new phrase on her embroidery. Watch her TIkTok video to see the before and after.
30 Double goth clowns
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Sara at Gothic Moments added dark colors and subtle decorative touches to turn the otherwise cheery "Growing in Grace - Age 4" girl with doll into a moody, matching pair. Watch the TikTok video to see the stunning before and after.
31 Halloween and Tombstone Girls
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Morbid Moments from CellarDoor13OddShop walked the line between cute and gory with perfect balance when she transformed "You Are Such a Purr-fect Friend" and "I Believe in the Old Rugged Cross into these charming Halloween and tombstone creations. Visit her Facebook page for more information.
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6 comments so far:
Interested in the newest TnT..lol
Kelly, stay tuned to our social media channels... we always announce there when pieces are available for purchase.
Is there any way to discuss/order a custom piece? I have a few ideas but zero artistic talent.
Erin, thank you for your interest, but we aren't taking on custom orders. Keep an eye on our social media platforms... we usually sell the pieces we create!
Hi! I just joined your group on Facebook and love what you do. I'm getting my daughters first christmas ornament but need to change the color of the hair,,, can you share me tips on what kind of paint use? Thanks ??
Maria, you'll find all our favorite paints and other supplies linked here on our FAQ page